Car-coupling



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'WILLIAM L. FISHER, OF SOUTH SAGINAW, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,327, dated November 8, 1881 Application filed Apn'l 2, 1881. (Model) To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. FISHER, of South Saginaw, in the county of Saginaw and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

Figure l is a longitudinal section, showing the relative position of the parts of my coupler when the cars are coupled. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section, showing the parts when the cars are uncoupled. Fig. 3 is a cross-sec tion on line on m, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved car-couplin g device which is adapted to use the ordinary forms of coupling-pin and link within a chambered draw-head, and to provide means whereby the coupling-pin is upheld and is released automatically to couple the cars on the entrance of the coupling-link, which is held in a horizontal position and is always protected from injury.

My invention consists of a chambered drawhead in which a weighted tripping-dog is horizontally pivoted, said dog being guided in a bifurcated weighted frame, and having a shoulder on its lower front end, on which the foot of the coupling-pin rests, and a face against which the entering-link strikes to release the coupling-pin and couple the cars, the said tripping devices being supported above the coupling-link, so that in coupling cars said link may be forced entirely within their drawheads beneath said devices and preserved from injury. a

I more particularly describe my invention as follows:

The draw-head A has a chamber, A, formed in it, its mouth being quite flaring, as at A to admit of the entrance at various angles of inclination of coupling -links of cars whose draw-heads do not meet in the same horizontal plane. The coupling-link L passes into the chamher A"through the narrow throat a. The tripping-dog Dis pivoted horizontally at d, and is so formed and weighted that prior to the entrance of the coupling-link L its lower end will be thrown forward, and its horizontal shoulder d will hold up the coupling-pin P, while its vertical face d will be presented to the entering coupling-link L, as in Fig. 2. Said dog D is guided between the pendent arms Z of the bifurcated weighted head H, which is slotted, as at h, to move over or past the retaining-pin i,which confines said headH Within the draw-head A. The bottoms of the arms 0 are rounded over at their fronts to permit the entering link L to raise the weighted head H, which rests upon the upper side of the coupling-link, and, in combination with the narrow throat a of the draw-head, holds said link L in a horizontal position while the cars are being coupled.

The operation of my improved coupler is as follows: Referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that on the entrance of the coupling-link Lit will strike the vertical face d and swing the dog Don its pivot d, raise the H, and let the coupling-pin P fall within the link L and couple the cars, the parts assunrwhich permits the latter'to recede within the draw-heads of two meeting cars, always protecting it from injury. Only a very slight blow of the entering link against the tripping-dog D is necessary to couple the cars,

and cars provided with my improved coupler may be easily and instantly coupled with cars having the common coupler.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. The combination, with the draw-head A, of the dog D, weighted at one end, having face d and shoulder d at the other, and suspended by an arm extending from the middle top portion to the pivot 01, substantially as described, whereby upon the entrance of the coupling-link into the draw-head the said dog is raised above and out of reach of injury from the said link.

2. The combination, with the draw-head A, of the weighted head H, having arms 6, whose lower faces are horizontal and whose lower front corners are rounded, substantially as described, whereby the link is held at all times in a horizontal position.

WILLIAM LIVINGSTON FISHER.

Witnesses M. B. DE LAND,

W. J. LAMsoN.

weighted head 

